In automated packaging systems, that include a mechanism for moving product along a belt or similar device, incoming product is arranged in units for packaging in predetermined quantities just before actual packaging of the product units. In such systems, some mechanism must be provided to allow the predetermined quantity of product to be “counted” and arranged before it advances into the actual packaging or enclosure portion of the packaging apparatus. In many such systems moving product is simply allowed to back-up against a stop of one sort or another in the packaging apparatus, and the appropriate quantity as measured, for example, by length or the like is then allowed to move to the actual packaging operation. While this arrangement is satisfactory for many products, for some more delicate products, for example baked goods, if they are allowed to simply back-up, the most forward product will be crushed by the incoming flow of product, accurate packaging of the proper number of items can be disrupted and product lost due to damage caused by the force of the incoming product crushing the product already in the packaging position. In the packaging of such delicate products, it would therefore be desirable to have a mechanism for metering and staging the appropriate number or quantity of such delicate products at a point before the actual unit packaging operation.